Flatiron stands



May 7, 1957 G, GROMMONS 2,791,390

" FLATIRON STANDS Filed June l5, 1955 INVENToR. leoMMoA/ United States Patent C FLATIRON STANDS Glenn I. Gromrnons, Seattle, Wash.

Application June 15, 1953, Serial No. 361,614

Claims. (Cl. 24S-117.2)

This invention relates to a portable stand for liatirons and especially for steam irons which usually present a special problem in the necessity of draining and drying them out after use. It will become evident, however, that the improved flatiron stand in its presently preferred form as herein illustratively described is useful with many different types of flatirons and that certain modifications and changes with respect to details of construction may be made therein without departing from the essential features comprising the invention.

Because of its open construction and the manner in which it holds a flatiron, the improved stand lends itself very well to the effective commercial display of fiatirons of various types and styles, as Well as to the ordinary domestic usages of such stan-ds. The improved portable stand is capable to an unusual degree of supporting a liatiron stably and safely upon horizontal surfaces and has the further advantages of being relatively inexpensive, simple to build, rugged, durable and of lightweight construction. Furthermore, it is capable of supporting conventional steam irons in a manner unusually conducive to the rapid and complete evaporation of moisture contained therein so .as to obviate the usual inconvenience of draining such irons before putting them away after use.

With the foregoing objects in view the improved flatiron stand generally comprises means forming a substantially flat and forwardly declining bed to carry the liatiron, said bed being supported by longitudinal runner members at a suitable spacing above a horizontal surface, and a pair of arm members extending generally outwardly and upwardly from respectively opposite sides of the bed at locations in the vicinity of the rear corners thereof. These arm members serve as supports for a retaining rail having longitudinally extending opposite side portions which converge forwardly to a common apex llocated forwardly of the bed so as to support the flatiron against sliding forwardly or off either side of the bed and with the tip of the flatiron located well forwardly of the bed so that in the case of a steam iron having bottom vents near its tip extremely good opportunity is afforded for :any water remaining inside the iron to evaporate completely through these vents as the iron is cooling ofi following use. l

In its preferred and herein illustrated form the entire flatiron stand is formed of but two pieces of metal, one comprising a iiat metal sheet and the other comprising a single length of metal'rod or wire. The metal sheet serves as a stitfener bed plate having rolled edges receiving side and end portions of the metal rod configuration which constitutes Athe framework for the stand.

g 2,791,390 ce l Patented May 7, 1957 These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention including certain details of construction of the preferred form will become more fully evident from the following description by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved flatiron stand.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the stand.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same and illustrates by broken lines a conventional iiatiron secured in the stand, with the latter resting in the intended manner upon a horizontal surface.

Figure 4 is a bottom View of the improved stand.

With reference to the drawings it will be seen that the device is formed of a generally rectangular piece of sheet metal 10 and a single length of metal rod 12. Preferably both of these basic elements are formed of a suitable rustproof lightweight metal such as aluminum alloy which may be fabricated in the desired form by inexpen sive manufacturing techniques and yet will be suiiiciently stiff and resilient to serve in a rugged and durable flatiron stand.

The metal rod 12 is bent into the desired framework configuration and as such is stiffened by means of the bed plate or sheet 10. The latter serves as a forwardly declining surface upon which a iiatiron F may be placed as in Figure 3. The flatiron is thereby held in a forwardly declining attitude a short distance .above the horizontal surface H, such as an ironing board or counter top. In the event the flatiron is of the steam iron type, it is found that any water remaining inside a hot iron held in the illustrated position by the improved stand will very readily evaporate through the bottom vents in the iron as it is permitted to cool off, so that by the time it is finally cool enough to put away it will usually be dried out completely.

The, rods opposite end portions 12a and 12b are maintained generally in alignment transversely of the stand by their retention in the rolled rear edge flap or tab 10a of the bed plate 10. Extending downwardly from the outer extremities of the respective end portions 12a and 12b, the outwardly and rearwardly declining leg portions 12c and 12d join the rear ends of the respective longitudinal runner portions 12e and 12j. These horizontal feet or runners, spaced apart sufficiently for stability, preferably converge slightly toward the forward end of the stand. At the forward ends of these runners the rod is reversely bent on a definite but relatively short radius and extends into two parallel elements 12g and 12h which serve as frame sides for the stiffener plate 10. These side elements are retained in the rolled side edge aps 10b and 10c of the bed plate 10 as illustrated. Thus the rod portions 12g, 12b, 12a `and 12h, serve as a three-sided supporting frame for the generally rectangular bed plate 10, Whereas the latter provides a supporting surface for a iatiron and, more important, greatly stiffens and braces the entire rod framework configuration.

The described side Velements 172g and 12h are straight and substantially coplanar with end portions 12a and 12b. The outer ends of the latter are positioned substantially in abutment to the side portions 12g and 12h, whereby the latter function as stops which would eliminate any tendency for the end portions 12a and 12b, should they be loosely gripped in the rolled edge 10a,

3 to slide endwise out of the same. Moreover, the rolled rear edge of the sheet wrapping around the end portions 12a and 12b prevents such sheet from sliding lengthwise either way along the base side portions 12g and 12h.

Preferably the runners 12e and 12j, hence the side elements 12g and 12h extend somewhat forwardly beyond the forward, lower edge of the sheet 10. This insures longitudinal stability despite a substantial overhang of the atiron beyond the forward edge of base plate 10.

The ends of the side elements 12g and 12h emerging from the rear corners of the bed plate are joined to the spreading arm members 121' and 12j which extend rearwardly and outwardly therefrom in-the general plane of the bed plate, then rise for a short distance to join and support the rear ends of the retaining rail 12k. The retaining rail has forwardly convergent sides 12m and 1211, joined at an apex 12p. This generally V-shaped retaining rail preferably declines forwardly at a somewhat steeper angle than the bed plate 10 so as to prevent any tendency for the tip of a flatiron to wedge beneath the rail and require the stand to be held down while the atiron is being lifted from it. The side portions 12m and 1211 of the retaining rail are bowed outward slightly so as to conform with the usual or average curvature of the sides of conventional tlatirons, and the maximum distance between sides of the retaining rail, as established by the arm members 121' and 12j, is likewise designed to suit flatirons with which the stand is to be used. The retaining rail 12k insures the proper positioning of a flatiron placed on the stand, and because of the slope of Ithe bed plate insures that the atiron cannot slide off the stand, either forwardly or to either side. A flatiron is placed on the stand by advancing it between the riser or upright portions of arm members 12 and 12]'.

The rail is positioned with its apex 12p located well forwardly of the stiffener bed plate 10 so that the latter cannot cover up the vapor escape vents normally located in the bottom of a steam iron near its tip or forward end.

It will be appreciated that the described flatiron stand is relatively easily manufactured at low cost. Starting with a straight metal rod of suitable length, for instance, one manufacturing procedure is to bend the rod at the middle to form the apex 12p and rail sides 12m and 121i, following which the L-shaped arm members 121' and 12j are formed, then the side members 12g and 12h, the runner members 12e and 12f, and the leg members 12e and 12d and finally the end portions 12a and 12b in a succession of matched bending operations in which for convenience corresponding elements are formed simultaneously. Finally 'the metal stilfener bed plate 10, preformed with its three flaps or tabs for the rolled edges, is secured to the appropriate elements of the rod framework by rolling these aps around the appropriate base frame portions of the rod conguration. No welding operations nor other special means of securement for holding the rod and sheet together are required.

It will be appreciated, however, that certain modications of the illustrated form are possible, since various equivalent forms may be readily devised within the spirit and scope of `the invention as disclosed.

I claim as my invention: Y

1. A atiron stand adapted to rest in its operative position on a horizontal surface, comprising a forwardly declining flatiron-supporting stiffener bed plate of sheet metal in substantially rectangular form having a rolled rear edge portion and rolled opposite side edge portions, and a substantially continuous rod structure forming a supporting structure for the stand, said rod structure comprising substantially aligned opposite rod end portions xedly held in the rolled rear edge portion of said bed plate, a pair of transversely spaced 4 longitudinally extending bottom runner rod portions, a pair of upright leg rod portions interconnecting said rod end portions and the rear ends of the respective runner rod portions, a pair of longitudinal bed plate supporting side rod portions fixedly held in the respective rolled opposite side edge portions of said bed plate, generally upright rod portions respectively interconnecting the forward ends of said bed plate supporting side rod portions and the forward ends of the respective runner rod portions, said side rod portions extending rearwardly past and in the general plane of said rod end portions in positions substantially abutting the same respectively to prevent their slipping out of said rolled rear edge portion, a atiron retaining rail rod portion disposed generally above said bed plate, said retaining rail rod portion comprising forwardly declining and mutually convergent opposite sides extending to and forming an apex located forwardly of said bed plate thereby to permit overhang of a fla'tiron tip beyond said bed plate, and supporting rod portions for said retaining rail interconnecting the rear ends of the respective rail sides and the rear ends of the corresponding bed plate supporting side rod portions.

2. A flatiron stand adapted to rest in its operative position on a horizontal surface, comprising a forwardly declining flatiron-supporting stiffener bed plate of substantially rectangular form, and means forming a supporting structure for the stand, said means comprising oppositely situated rod end portions tixedly connected to the rear edge portion of said bed plate, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending bottom runner rod portions, a pair of upright leg rod portions interconnecting said rod end portions and the rear ends of the respective runner rod portions, a pair of longitudinal bed plate supporting side rod portions tixedly connected to the opposite side edge portions of said bed plate, and generally upright rod portions respectively interconnecting the forward ends of said bed plate supporting side rod portions and the forward ends of the respective runner rod portions, a flatiron retaining rail rod portion disposed generally above said bed plate, said retaining rail rod portion comprising forwardly declining and mutually convergent opposite sides spaced apart laterally and interconnected at their forward ends to permit overhang of a ilatiron tip beyond said bed plate, and supporting rod portions for said retaining rail interconnecting the rear ends of the respective rail sides and the rear ends of the corresponding bed plate supporting side rod portions.

3. A atiron stand adaptedto rest in its operative position on a horizontal surface, comprising transversely extending rod portions defining a rear edge of a atiron supporting bed, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending bottom runner rod portions, a pair of upright leg rod portions interconnecting said first rod portions and the rear ends of the respective runner rod portions, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal rod portions defining opposite side edges of said flatiron supporting bed and lying substantially coplanar with said transversely extending rod portions, generally upright rod portions respectively interconnecting the forward ends of said longitudinal rod portions and the forward ends of the respective runner rod portions, a tlatiron retaining rail rod portion disposed generally above said bed plate, said retaining rail rod portion comprising forwardly declining and mutually convergent opposite sides spaced apart laterally and interconnected at their forward ends to permit overhang of a flatiron tip beyond said bed plate, and supporting rod portions for said retaining rail interconnecting the rear ends of the respective rail sides and the rear ends of the corresponding longitudinal rod portions.

4. The atiron stand defined in claim 3, wherein the longitudinal rod portions of the supporting bed decline forwardly at a substantial angle whereby a atiron rest- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,655 Kuhn July 19, 1910 10 6 Sefts Aug. 6, 1912 Wiener Apr. 20, 1915 Galbraith Oct. 12, 1920 Kuhn et al. Aug. 27, 1929 Greenberg et al. Jan. 29, 1952 Adams July l5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland of 1929 

